Valve for locomotive feed water heating systems



June 2@a 1933 J, A, FQWER ET AL,

VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed OCC. ll, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet l June 2Q, 1933 J. A. Pom/ER ET AL.

VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. ll, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1933.

vALvE Eon LocoMoTIvE FEED WATER HEATING sYsTEMs Filed Oct. 11, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 3 J. A. POWERv ET AL 1,914,645 E June J, A POWER Er ALVALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. ll. 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 4 UNET-EE STATES JOHN A. :POWER AND ALFRED A.

MEISTER, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS VALVE FOR LOCOMOTTVE FEED WATER HEATINGSYSTEMS Application filed October 11,

The hereinafter described invention re lates to the heating of the feedwater as introduced into a locomotive boiler for generation int-o steam.

Among the objects of our invention is the provision of a system wherebythe feed water heater pump on a locomotive can be used at all timeswhile the boiler is under steam without causing injury to the boiler.

An object of our invention is the provision of an automatic steamfeeding and controlling system whereby a determined quantity of livesteam is automatically admitted into a locomotive feed water heater forthe purpose of heating the boiler feed water when the locomotive is atrest or idling and not working steam, at which time no exhaust steam isavailable for heating the water passing through the heater and so thatthe feed water pump can be worked at all times while the boiler is understeam pressure and the water discharged into the boiler will be at arelatively high temperature instead of being discharged by the pump intothe boiler at normal temperature or a relatively cold temperature as isthe case when no exhaust steam is available from the locomotivecylinders, thereby eliminating injury to the boiler by reason of thewide variation `now existing between the temperature of the waterintroduced by the feed Water pump and the water already in the boiler,and preserving the integrity of the boiler plates, tubes, seams andstay-bolts against destructive strains of expansion and contraction.

An object of our invention is to provide a valve which willautomatically open and admit live steam into the feed water heater forheating the water therein when the main locomotive throttle is closedand automatically close off the live steam supplywhen the locomotivethrottle is opened and exhaust steam is again available to heat the feedwater in the heater thereby insuring that the feed water discharged intothe boiler by the feed water heater pump willbe heated at all times,whether the locomotive is working steam, idling or standing.

Another object of our invention is to provide a system so thatsimultaneously with 1929. Serial No. 398,354.

A further object of our invention is to provide an automatic steamintroducing system for a locomotive boiler, in which the feed water isheated by the exhaust steam of the locomotive, so that the feed waterdischarged into the boiler by the feed water pump will be steam heatedat all times whether the locomotive be running or standing and itstemperature constantly maintained at such degree as to prevent injury tothe boiler.

' To more fully comprehend our invention reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the embodiment of theinvention as applied to a locomotive equipped with an open type of feedwater heater.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing our invention as applied to alocomotive equipped with a closed type of feed water heater.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the automatic steam valve of ourinvention partly in section, with differential piston valve as situatedwithin the valve body, shown in full.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the valve of Fig. 3 in reduced sizetaken on line 85 3 3, Fig. 3, the differential piston valve within thevalve body being' shown in full as in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the differential piston valve asshown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Figure 6 denotes in sectional elevation the bushing as used in the bodyof the automatic steam valve in affording a wearing surface for thepiston valve of Fig. 5, as well as for providing ported passagestherethrough for the inlet and outlet of steam.

Our improvements as illustrated in the drawings comprise the use of. anautomatic valveV 10, situated in the steam supply pipe 11 through whichlive steam is carried to run the feed water pump 12. In the case of theapplication of valve 10 to the open type of locomotive feed waterheater, as shown in Fig. 1, connection of pipe 11 out of valve 10 ismade to pump 12 at 13, while in the closed type of locomotive feed waterheater as shown in installation Fig. 2 connection of the steam supplypipe 11 out of valve 10 is made to pump 12 through branch pipeconnections at 14 and 14.-.

A pipe 15, connected to the top of the automatic valve 10, carriesforward to a point 16 in t-he locomotive cylinder steam pipe therebyestablishing high pressure steam communication between the steam supplyof the locomotive cylinders and the interior of valve 10.

Numeral 17 denotes the pipe which carries the steam exhausted from themain locomotive cylinders into the heating chamber 18 of the feed waterheater in the open type of feed water heater of Fig. 1, whereas numeral19 denotes the exhaust steam pipe of the feed water heater pump 12,which leads into the closed heater chamber 20 at point 21 in the closedtype of feed water heater, as depicted in Fig. 2.

A pipe 22 connected to the bottom of automatic steam valve 10 leads intothe exhaust steam pipe 17, Fig. 1, at point 23, and into the exhauststeam pipe 19, F ig. 2, at point M, thereby establishing low pressure orexhaust steam communication between the interior of valve 10 and theinterior of the open heating chamber 18, as illustrated in Fig. l, andthe interior of closed heating chamber 20, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Water from the heating chamber 18 of open feed water pump 12, Fig. 1, isdischarged through pipe 25 and check valve 26 into the locomotive boilerwhile water in the closed type feed water heater, Fig. 2, is dischargedby pump 12 through pipe 27 into heating chamber 20 and out of heatingchamber 20 into the locomotive boiler through pipe 28 and check valve29. Steam exhausted from the steam end of the feed water pump 12 of openheat system, Fig. 1 is carried by pipe 30 into the main exhaust steampipe 17 at any convenient point 31.

lVith the foregoing description of the general piping arrangementbetween the related parts a detailed description of the automatic steamvalve 10 will make clear Aits construction and functioning.

Valve 10 comprises a body 10a with two cylinders therein, as noted at10c and 10b. The bore of cylinder 10b is of larger diameter than thebore of cylinder 10c', and is made in the body proper while the smallerdiameter boreof cylinder 10c is formed in led bushing 10d, as pressedIinto the body Body 10a has a steam inlet and with threaded pipeconnection 10e, and a steam outlet end with threaded pipe connection10f. Inlet 10e and outlet 10f are connected together by cored passage inthe body 10a so as to provide for the free passage of steam through thevalve from one endto the other. Communicating with the cored inlet andoutlet openings 10e and 10], respectively, is the cored pocket 10gsurrounding the bushing 10d, while cored in the body of valve 10a andsurrounding the bushing 10d is pocket 10h. Pocket 107i is shapedsubstantially like pocket 10g and terminates in a threaded pipe outlet102'. The bushing 10d provides a distinct separation between the pockets10g and 10h in its Contact with the metal of valve body 10a.

The cylindrical bores 10b and 10c of body 10aare fitted withdifferential piston valve 10j, comprising in the present showing fourseparate pistons 107'1, 10j2, 10j3 and 107'4; mounted securely togetherby through bolt 107l and adapted to fit the cylindrical bores 10b and10c with usual tolerance, the tolerance of the piston fit being made upin the cylindrical bore 10b my snap rings 10Z and in the cylindricalbore 100 by snap rings 10m.

It will be noted that the pistons 10j2 and 10j3 as fitted to the bore100 are recessed a distance back from their inner ends to clear theports 10a and 100 as provided between the pistons 10,7'1 and 10,7'2 andthe pistons 10,7'3 and 10y`11, respectively, so that an annular space10p is formed between the piston holding bolt 1070 and the recessedpiston ends in the provision of a communicating passage bctween ports10a and 100. Other equivalent means maybe provided between therespective pistons to establish communication between the ports 10u and100, the arrangement herewith shown and described being that adaptedparticularly to the present embodiment of automatic steam valve 10.

Referring to bushing 10d housing the smaller diameter pistons 10,7'2,10]'3 and 1074, it will be noted that openings 10g have been provided topass therethrough so as to lead Ainto the steam space 10g, whileopenings 101` pass through bushing 10d so as to communicate with thesteam space 1071.

The top of cylinder 10?) is provided with steam tight cover 10s madewith oint face in the present instance against valve body 10a by capscrews 10i. A tapped opening 10u in cover 10s provides for the inlet ofhigh pressure steam against piston 107'1 from the main steam inlet intothe locomotive cylinder.

The bottom of the cylinder 10c is closed by cover 10o made up in tightjoint formation against valve body 10a by cap screws 10w in like manneras cover 10S.

Numeral 1002 denotes projecting lugs at the bottom of the chamber ofcylinder 10?) which act as stops for the inner end of piston 10.7'1,while lugs 10?/ on the outer end of piston ilo 10j1 act as stops againstcover 10s so that the ports 10u and 100 will always be in opencommunication with the steam chamber 10h and insure the bleeding o ofany live steam which might leak through the snap rings 10Z of piston10,7'1 and reside between the pistons 10,7'1 and 10y'2.

By keeping the piston 10j1 with a clearance underneath it any leakage ofhigh pressure steam past its snap rings 10]/ will have a free drainageby way of the ports 10a and 100 to waste through the outlet 102', intothe exhaust steam carrying pipe 22 without building up underneath piston107s to imbalance it and defeat the functioning of valve 10 as intended.

The cover 10'v of cylinder 10c is provided with a. chamber 10e while thevalve body 10a is provided with a port 11a. An opening 11?) is made inthe bottom of bushing 10d so as to provide open communication betweenchamber 10e and the interior of steam chamber 10g, thereby alwaysproviding that live steam will be supplied to chamber 10e and againstthe end of piston 10y'11.

1n assembled relation as shown in Figs. 3 and Ll., the valve 10 is inclosed position, that is, the ports 10Q through bushing 10d into steamchamber 10g are blanked off by piston 10,?'2 and 10,7'8, live steam forrunning feed water pump 12 being free to pass through the valve body 10aat all times as well as against the end of the piston 10%. Closedposition of the valve 10 means when the locomotive is working steam atwhich time there is no necessity of introducing steam into the feedwater heater for heating' the water bein g pumped therethrough.

New that the construction of the automatic steam valve of our inventionhas been described, we will proceed with a description of the operationof the valve and the system of our invention wherein it is applied.

1n operation there are two distinct functionings of our steaming feedingsystem, one when the locomotive is working steam as in regular road dutyor switching, and the other when the locomotive is standing or idling.

1n road duty when the engine is working steam, there is a sufficientamount of exhaust steam to heat the feed water forced through theheating chamber by the feed water pump 12 so that the delivery of heatedwater into the boiler through pump discharge pipe 25 and boiler checkvalve 26 is assured, but as the engineer shuts ofi his throttle for theexclusion of steam into the main locomotive cylinders, there is nolonger exhaust steam available to heat the water and it is the purposeof our invention to make up adequate heat from live steam of thelocomotive at this time, feeding high pressure steam into the heatingchamber 18 of open type feed water heater, Fig. 1, or into the heatingchamber 20 of closed ytype feed water heater, Fig. 2, as the case maybe, through a system which is automatic in its working and as such iswithout the jurisdiction of the engineer and fireman in its functioning.

Prior to the advent of our improved system, the duty of the fireman orengineer when not working steam was to shut off the feed water heaterpump. This, however, was not done by press ofother duties orcarelessness with the result that the operation of the feed water heaterpump 12 continued and cold water was pumped directly through the heaterinto the boiler with very injurious results. The remedy for overcomingthe introduction of cold water into the boiler was by means of astandard form of steam injector which was to be used at the time thelocomotive was not working and no exhaust steam available, but thisfacility we find is not used as instructed and we have, therefore,provided an automatic system to take care of the conditions, asoutlined, which positively assures the feeding of steam as required forheating the water when no exhaust steam is available from the locomotivecylinders and the shutting off of the steam feed when steam from thelocomotive exhaust is again available, this being accomplished entirelywithout manual operation.

Our invention does away with the necessity of an extra steam injectorfor feeding the boiler with water when the locomotive is standing,saving this expense.

In practical service the inlet and outlet passages 10e and 10] ofautomatic steam valve 10, in providing for the through passage of steamaround the valve body 10a, keep the feed water pump 12 continuouslyrunning as long as the manually operated cab valve 32, in pipe line 11,as leading from steam turret 33 is open. When the engine is workingsteam the steam pipe 15 is filled with high pressure steam from the mainsteam supply pipe of the locomotive cylinders and this steam istransmitted through the connection of pipe 15 at 10u in valve cover 108to the top of piston 10]'1, exerting a downward pressure against same.The area of piston 10j1 being greater than the area of piston 10y'4,which also has high pressure admitted against its end from the steaminlet 10e by way of port 11a, holds the pistons 10y'3 and 10y' inposition so that the high pressure steam ports 10Q of the bushing 10dare blanked off.

With the engineer shuts off steam the steam pressure on top of piston10]'1 is released through the line 15 into the locomotive cylinder mainsteam pipe, permitting the boiler' pressure as continuously exertedagainst the end of piston 10j4 to move the latter upward together withthe piston 10y'1 until the ends of the stops 10?/ of piston 10y'1 strikethe underside of cover plate 10s, at which time the steam ports 10gthrough the bushing 10d are uncovered by the piston 10]'3 permittinglive steam from the boilerl to pass from the steam chamber 10gsurrounding these ports through the bushing 10d and out of the ports1071 into the steam chamber 1O1J surrounding bushing 10d in the path asindicated by arrows AB-CD, Fig. 3, thereby establishing a free passagefor the feeding of steam from pipe 11 through the ported passages of thevalve body 10a by way of pipe 22 connected to outlet 10i, directly intothe heating chamber 18 of open type feed water heater, F ig. 1, and intothe heating chamber 2O of closed type feed water heater, Fig. 2, whenthe locomotive is not working steam.

The system of our invention and its valve thus provides protection atall times against the introduction of cold water into the boiler throughcheck valve 29, whether locomotive be working or standing.

l/Ve do not desire to restrict ourselves to the actual location of theautomatic steam feeding valve 10 into the feed water heater system, theillustrations covering which as herewith shown are typical, and wish itto be understood that it is within the scope of our invention to makesuch modifications in the piping arrangement as well as the constructionof the automatic steam feeding valve as will best meet local conditionsof application on different classes of locomotives where installed andto suit different types of feed Water heaters whether fitted with rotaryor reciprocating feed water pumps, our invention being limited only bythe extent of the claim as appended.

lVhat we claim is A valve comprising ain combination a body having aninlet and an outlet, a second outlet, cored pockets in the valve bodyseparated by a cylindrical bushing, one of said pockets communicatingwith the valve inlet and the other of said pockets communicating withsaid second outlet, orifices through said bush ing into said pockets,and a differential piston fitting said'busliing and valve body foropening and closing said orifices.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Houston, Texas,this 25th day of September, 1929.

yJOHN A, POWER.

ALFRED A. MEISTER.

